Legislative Ethics

Our state originally intended to have a citizen-led legislature, but in modern times, an unpaid, voluntary legislature has had the opposite effect -- with ordinary New Mexicans unable to afford to serve. Having an unpaid legislature “may have worked over 100 years ago during the creation of our state when we were horse-and-buggy but in our modern day, we need to have a paid legislature because right now really the only people who can afford to legislate and participate in the legislative process are often individuals who are retired or independently wealthy,” Mario Jimenez III said.

The time to modernize our legislature is now.

Modernizing the legislative process, with more staff, longer sessions and compensation for legislators is the top priority for Common Cause in the upcoming 60-day NM Legislative session.

A new study by the University of New Mexico suggests longer legislative sessions, salaries and more staff

UNM Study of Legislative Process Ranks NM Near Bottom in Professionalism; Suggests Longer Sessions, Salaries and More Staff

In the final hours of the NM Legislative Session, several CCNM priority bills were passed, including SB 160 Judicial Public Financing, SB 304 Independent Redistricting, HB 231 Native American Polling Places, and HB 55 Capital Outlay Transparency! That, coupled with many wins earlier in the NMLEG, are detailed in our final Democracy Wire of the session!